1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to padfolios and other business accessories and more particularly to pouches and pockets for holding electronic devices in padfolios and other business accessories.
2. Background Information
Bags, padfolios and other business accessories often contain a variety of pockets and flaps for holding various items. Often, a notepad is provided in a special space along a flap. In addition, permanent or detachable pockets can be provided for telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), calculators and a variety of card-sized items.
Many padfolio designs include a peripheral closure, such as a zipper, that allows the interior of the padfolio to be sealed when not in use. The zipper often defines a raised wall that allows the two outer covers of the padfolio to be separated from each other by a distance that creates a gap space between the covers, allowing electronic devices such as telephones and PDAs to be enclosed within the space. For convenience, pouches for PDAs and telephones (among other devices) may be open at the top (e.g. lacking a separate pouch cover), thereby allowing quicker access to the device when needed. However, to fully secure and protect the device, the pouch may be cut so as to fully enclose the sides of the device—i.e. so that the device's top does not extend from beyond the pouch opening. In addition, pouches are often cut to a standard size (and often slightly over-sized to accommodate a range of device form factors). Thus, many devices may have a lower profile, causing their tops to be recessed within the pouch. In either event, it may be difficult to retrieve the electronic device from within the pouch or pocket when needed. In particular, when the user has long fingernails, it becomes even more difficult and fingernail breakage is likely. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mechanism for quickly retrieving a PDA or other electronic device from a padfolio pouch while still allowing the pouch to fully enclose the device for maximum protection.